Amidst the lively Asakusa, bustling with tourists even after the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a soba restaurant on a side street off the Nakamise shopping street. ■ Order: - Aburi Tori Seiro (Grilled Chicken Soba) - 1300 yen Soba noodles served in warm broth with grilled chicken on top. The aroma of the grilled chicken is unexpectedly fragrant, whetting the appetite. With green onions added, it gives off a yakitori soba vibe. I would like to try making this at home as well. ■ Notes: There was a sign indicating that the restaurant has been in business for 70 years. The friendly chef cooked with a smile.

Around February, I reunited with Yonkujii-san whom I played with in Mie. We met in Asakusa for lunch. It was great to see each other again. I had soba with vegetable tempura. Lately, I've been enjoying eating vegetables. The soba and dipping sauce had delicate flavors.

I went with Mimiya-san and ordered the 1400 yen vegetable tempura soba. It was cold soba because it was a hot day. The vegetable tempura was all delicious. The pumpkin was sweet and went well with the salt, which I really liked. The eggplant was also good. Mimiya-san made me eat shiitake mushrooms, so I gave her my sweet potato. I didn't really understand the soba, maybe udon would have been better. It ended up being cheaper than I expected, so that was good.

I had lunch at "Akizuki," a restaurant in Asakusa, Taito-ku. Located on the west side of Nakamise Street leading to Senso-ji Temple, this restaurant has been in business for over 70 years. There always seems to be people waiting in front of the restaurant during lunchtime, so I assumed it must be a popular spot. When I passed by the restaurant at lunchtime, I noticed that the door was open and there were empty seats inside, so I decided to go in. The interior of the restaurant has counter seats on the left side, with about 2-3 seats in use. On the right side, there is a table for 6 people, a table for 4 people in the front, and a table for 3 people. I sat at the counter and was asked if I wanted hot tea or cold tea, to which I chose hot tea. The tea was served with a disposable towel. I ordered the "Vegetable Tempura Soba (1500 yen)." The kitchen was run by a young man, and there were two young staff members, possibly part-timers, handling the front of the house. After a while, warm tempura dipping sauce, cold soba dipping sauce, and condiments were brought to me. The tempura, consisting of shiitake mushrooms, eggplant, lotus root, sweet potato, bamboo shoots, and shiso leaf, was served first, followed by the soba a little later. The tempura was crispy and satisfying, typical of a local soba restaurant. The portion of soba was a bit small for a local soba place. The dipping sauces were nothing special. It seems that the restaurant only accepts reservations for dinner. Lunch here is more about eating quickly rather than enjoying sake. (Visit rating: 3.02)

[Shop Name] Shugetsu [Nearest Station] Asakusa Station, 4 minutes on foot [Lunch Budget] 700-1500 yen Visited in June 2022 [About the Shop] During the lunch hours on a weekday, I walked around the Asakusa area. As I strolled through the Nakamise area, I came across a soba shop that looked like a long-established one, so I decided to visit. The interior of the shop has a few counter seats and about four tables for four people each. When I informed the staff of my visit, they said it was okay to sit at any available seat, so I was seated at a table. The decor maintains an atmosphere of a long-established shop while the furnishings have a modern feel. The main customers seemed to be Asakusa sightseers, with many couples in the crowd. [About the Food] ★Kake Soba 700 yen Even though it was June, I felt a little chilly, so I decided to order warm kake soba. When placing my order, I was asked if I wanted to have green onions as a topping on my soba, so I requested it. Before long, the dish was served. The soba noodles were thin but had a good firm texture. The rich-colored broth, while slightly salty, was surprisingly light. After finishing my meal, I got up from my seat, settled the bill, and said, "Thank you for the meal."

The tempura and two glasses of cold sake cost around 4000 yen. The tempura had loose batter, the mushrooms were too big, and the tempura dipping sauce was too salty. The grated radish needed about 10 times more. The soba noodles were too firm and lacked flavor. It seems like the owners are trying their best, but there are various issues. The bill of 4000 yen for a quick lunch is making the judgment complex. Maybe it's too expensive, especially for a tourist area.

I tried the soba at a new soba restaurant called "Shingari" after being disappointed by the soba at another place. The seiro (700 yen) felt cheaper compared to Shingari. The seiro had a light color, but the noodles were thin with a firm texture, and the soba broth was more balanced and much tastier than Shingari.

The other reviews are from a few years ago, so the menu may have changed since then. I was impressed by the thin batter of the tempura, not too heavy! The soba noodles are normal to relatively thin, and the soba soup is quite rich. I also appreciated the service of the female staff. My left-handed companion was waiting for the soba to arrive after switching the chopsticks around, and it seems like she noticed because she adjusted where to place the dipping sauce. (It could be my misunderstanding, though.) The price is reasonable, the portion is just right, and of course, it's delicious, so I recommend it.

This is the most delicious soba restaurant in the Asakusa area. It's a small shop but it's fantastic.

The soba broth is rich and satisfying!

Seiro is a place where you can enjoy delicious tempura soba with a firm texture. Even during the busy lunch hours of the long weekend, we were able to get a seat without waiting in line. However, the wait time for the food to be served was quite long.

Delicious but quite expensive.

The Nakamise Street in Asakusa is crowded with foreign tourists! I found a nice soba restaurant when I tried taking a back alley to escape the crowd. I had duck soba and beer! They serve generous portions of noodles here, which makes me happy! In other places, you have to order a large serving to get a decent amount. This was a nice find during my leisurely stroll.

Located in the back alley of Nakamise Street in Asakusa, this restaurant is situated near famous establishments like "Umeen." A simple signboard with "Tendon, Katsudon, Tempura Soba" written prominently catches the eye. While it may appear to be a soba restaurant, it actually caters to tourists with a variety of rice bowl dishes as well. The menu is displayed on the wall, and ordering can be a bit confusing due to the lack of a menu list and unclear prices. The restaurant has a cozy atmosphere with about 21 seats, and it is run by an elderly couple and another lady. The prices are on the higher side, typical of tourist spots. The Tempura Rice Bowl is priced at 1050 yen and comes with two glossy tempura shrimp on a bed of hot steamed rice. The dish is served with a slightly sweet sauce, and the miso soup and pickles complement the sweetness well. The tempura is freshly fried and piping hot, but the portion of shrimp seems lacking compared to the rice. The sauce has a unique sweetness, reminiscent of water candy, which may not appeal to everyone. Overall, the dish seems to be a mix of Kanto and Kansai styles, resulting in a slightly confusing flavor profile.

Met up with a friend and quickly grabbed lunch before our meeting. Ordered the Vegetable Tempura Rice Bowl for 1000 yen. They also provided extra dipping sauce on the side, in case you wanted to add more. The bowl had vegetables like shishito peppers, eggplant, and pumpkin. It was decent, but a bit on the pricier side. Overall, not bad but maybe a bit overpriced. If you're unsure, it's worth a try.